Insect Feed Calculator for Bearded Dragons

Find the perfect balance of feeder insects for your bearded dragon with our comprehensive Insect Feed Calculator. Select from various feeder types, get personalized recommendations based on your dragon’s age and weight, and create a balanced protein source that supports optimal health.

How to Use This Tool

The Insect Feed Calculator helps you select the right feeder insects and determine appropriate feeding quantities. Follow these steps:

  1. Select Dragon Age: Choose baby, juvenile, or adult. Each stage has different protein requirements.
  2. Enter Dragon Weight: Input your dragon’s current weight in grams (5g to 800g range).
  3. Select Feeders: Click on insects to add or remove them from your selection. The calculator shows:
    • ★ Staple: Safe for regular feeding
    • ✦ Treat: Feed occasionally
    • ◈ Occasional: Feed in moderation
    • ✕ Avoid: Not recommended
  4. Review Feeding Plan: The calculator provides:
    • Number of insects per feeding
    • Recommended frequency
    • Nutritional breakdown (protein content)
    • Specific feeding tips for each insect

Understanding Insect Feeding Guidelines

Adult bearded dragons need approximately 20% protein in their diet, with the majority (80%) coming from vegetables and greens. Insects should be fed as protein sources, not the main meal, for most adult dragons.

Feeding Frequency by Age

  • Baby dragons: 2-3 feedings per day, 70-80% insects
  • Juvenile dragons: 1-2 feedings per day, 50-60% insects
  • Adult dragons: 1 feeding per day, max 10 insects per meal, 20% insects

Complete Feeder Insect Guide

Not all feeder insects are created equal. Understanding the nutritional value and safety of each feeder type is crucial for your bearded dragon’s health.

Staple Feeders (★)

These insects can be fed regularly as part of a balanced diet. They offer excellent nutrition and are safe for bearded dragons of all ages when sized appropriately.

Dubia Roaches ★

Best Overall Feeder

  • Nutrition: 36g protein per serving
  • Feeding Guide: 2 per feeding, 2-3x per week
  • Why It’s Great: High protein, low fat, easy to digest
  • Key Benefits: Primary feeder with excellent nutrition profile
  • Special Notes: Adults need mostly vegetables! Dust with calcium powder

Black Soldier Fly Larvae (Phoenix Worms/Calci-Worms) ★

Excellent Calcium Source

  • Nutrition: 17g protein per serving
  • Feeding Guide: 5 per feeding, 2-3x per week
  • Why It’s Great: Naturally high in calcium
  • Key Benefits: Excellent calcium source! No dusting needed
  • Special Notes: Primary feeder – excellent nutrition | Adults need mostly veggies!

Crickets ★

Common Staple Feeder

  • Nutrition: 20g protein per serving
  • Feeding Guide: 2 per feeding, 2-3x per week
  • Why It’s Great: Widely available, traditional staple
  • Key Benefits: Common staple. Must be dusted with calcium powder
  • Important Warnings:
    • Can bite if left uneaten – remove after feeding
    • Never feed wild-caught insects
    • Always dust with calcium powder

Silkworms ★

Nutritious and Easy to Digest

  • Nutrition: 15-20g protein per serving
  • Feeding Guide: 3-4 per feeding, 2-3x per week
  • Why It’s Great: Soft-bodied, high moisture content
  • Key Benefits: Excellent nutrition, easy on the digestive system
  • Special Notes: Can be expensive to source consistently

Locusts ★

Large, Nutritious Staple

  • Nutrition: 25g protein per serving
  • Feeding Guide: 1-2 per feeding, 2-3x per week
  • Why It’s Great: Good for larger dragons, high protein
  • Key Benefits: Primary feeder – excellent nutrition
  • Special Notes: More active than other feeders, good stimulation

Grasshoppers ★

Natural Food Source

  • Nutrition: 22g protein per serving
  • Feeding Guide: 2-3 per feeding, 2-3x per week
  • Why It’s Great: Natural prey item, good variety
  • Key Benefits: Provides variety in diet
  • Special Notes: Only purchase from reputable suppliers

Phoenix Worms (Calci-Worms) ★

Calcium-Rich Treat

  • Nutrition: 17g protein per serving
  • Feeding Guide: 4-6 per feeding, 2-3x per week
  • Why It’s Great: High calcium content, good for all ages
  • Key Benefits: Excellent calcium source!
  • Special Notes: Same as Black Soldier Fly Larvae

Treat Feeders (✦)

These insects should be fed occasionally, not as staple foods. They’re excellent for variety and special treats but shouldn’t make up the majority of the protein source.

Superworms ✦

  • Nutrition: 18g protein per serving
  • Feeding Guide: 2-3 per feeding, 1-2x per week
  • Why Use As Treat: High chitin content, harder to digest
  • Warnings: Only for adult dragons – can impaction babies/juveniles
  • Special Notes: Pinch heads before feeding to prevent biting

Waxworms ✦

  • Nutrition: 12g protein, 20g+ fat per serving
  • Feeding Guide: 1-2 per feeding, 1x per week
  • Why Use As Treat: Extremely high fat content
  • Warnings: “Bearded dragon candy” – don’t overfeed
  • Best Use: Special treat, not for regular feeding

Hornworms ✦

  • Nutrition: 15g protein per serving
  • Feeding Guide: 1-2 per feeding, 1x per week
  • Why Use As Treat: Expensive, low nutritional density per volume
  • Key Benefits: Very high moisture content, good for hydration
  • Special Notes: Great for picky eaters and hydration

Butterworms ✦

  • Nutrition: 14g protein per serving
  • Feeding Guide: 2-3 per feeding, 1x per week
  • Why Use As Treat: Hard to digest, high fat
  • Key Benefits: High calcium content
  • Special Notes: Can be difficult to find

Wax Moths (Adult) ✦

  • Nutrition: 10g protein per serving
  • Feeding Guide: 2-3 per feeding, 1x per week
  • Why Use As Treat: Low nutritional value
  • Key Benefits: Flying activity stimulates hunting instinct
  • Special Notes: Release in enclosure for hunting practice

Occasional Feeders (◈)

These can be fed in moderation but have specific considerations that limit their regular use.

Mealworms ◈

  • Nutrition: 14g protein per serving
  • Feeding Guide: 3-4 per feeding, 1-2x per week
  • Why Use Occasionally: Hard exoskeleton causes impaction risk
  • Key Benefits: Readily available, inexpensive
  • Warnings:
    • High impaction risk for babies and juveniles
    • Only for healthy adult dragons
    • Always feed with calcium dusting

Earthworms ◈

  • Nutrition: 16g protein per serving
  • Feeding Guide: 1-2 per feeding, 1-2x per week
  • Why Use Occasionally: Potential for parasites if wild-caught
  • Key Benefits: Natural food source, good protein
  • Special Notes: Only purchase from feeder suppliers, never from garden

Mealworm Beetles ◈

  • Nutrition: 12g protein per serving
  • Feeding Guide: 1-2 per feeding, 1x per week
  • Why Use Occasionally: Hard exoskeleton, difficult to digest
  • Key Benefits: Life cycle variety
  • Special Notes: Same impaction risks as mealworms

Insects to Avoid (✕)

Some insects should never be fed to bearded dragons due to toxicity, size issues, or other health risks.

  • Wild-caught insects: May carry pesticides, parasites, or diseases
  • Fireflies: Toxic to reptiles, can be fatal
  • Ladybugs: Can be toxic in large quantities
  • Large beetles: Can cause impaction due to hard exoskeleton
  • Spiders: Many are toxic to reptiles
  • Lightning bugs: Fatal toxicity

Proper Insect Sizing

One of the most important rules for feeding insects is proper sizing. Insects should be no wider than the space between your bearded dragon’s eyes.

  • Baby dragons: Pinhead crickets, small dubia roaches, 1/4″ phoenix worms
  • Juvenile dragons: Small/medium crickets, medium dubia roaches, small phoenix worms
  • Adult dragons: Large crickets, large dubia roaches, adult phoenix worms

Why This Matters: Over-sized insects can cause impaction, where the insect becomes stuck in the digestive tract. This is a serious and potentially fatal condition.

Gut-Loading: The Secret to Nutritious Feeders

Gut-loading is the process of feeding feeder insects nutritious foods 24 hours before feeding them to your dragon. This significantly boosts their nutritional value.

Best Gut-Loading Foods

  • Vegetables: Collard greens, mustard greens, carrots, sweet potatoes
  • Fruits: Apples, bananas (limited), oranges
  • Grains: Oats, bran, chicken feed
  • Commercial Gut-Load: Quality gut-load formulas from pet stores

What Not to Gut-Load With

  • Spinach: Binds calcium, reduces nutritional value
  • Lettuce: Low nutritional value
  • Avocado: Toxic to insects

Dusting: Essential Calcium Supplementation

Not all feeders have balanced calcium-to-phosphorus ratios. Dusting insects with calcium powder is crucial for preventing metabolic bone disease (MBD).

When to Dust

  • Babies and juveniles: Every insect feeding
  • Adults: 3-4 times weekly
  • Pregnant (gravid) females: Every insect feeding

Types of Calcium

  • Calcium without D3: Use daily with proper UVB lighting
  • Calcium with D3: Use 2-3 times weekly without UVB
  • Multivitamin with calcium: Once weekly

Feeders That Don’t Need Dusting

Some feeders are naturally calcium-rich and don’t require additional calcium powder:

  • Black Soldier Fly Larvae (Phoenix Worms/Calci-Worms)

Feeding Safety Tips

  • Remove uneaten insects: Never leave insects in the enclosure overnight
  • Watch for biting: Hungry crickets may bite your dragon
  • Monitor impaction signs: Lack of appetite, lethargy, bloating, no bowel movements
  • Quarantine new feeders: Keep new feeder purchases separate for 24 hours
  • Keep feeders healthy: Proper care and nutrition for feeder colonies

Creating a Balanced Insect Diet

The best approach is variety. Rotate between staple feeders to ensure your dragon gets a complete range of nutrients:

  • Primary: Dubia roaches and crickets (60-70% of insect feedings)
  • Secondary: Phoenix worms and silkworms (20-30% of insect feedings)
  • Treats: Superworms, waxworms (10% of insect feedings)

Common Insect Feeding Mistakes

  • Overfeeding protein: Leads to obesity and liver disease in adults
  • Under-dusting calcium: Causes metabolic bone disease
  • Feeding wrong-sized insects: Impaction risk
  • Leaving uneaten insects: Bites and stress
  • Not gut-loading: Missed nutritional opportunities
  • Ignoring feeder quality: Poor nutrition from malnourished feeders

Conclusion

A balanced insect diet is essential for bearded dragon health. Our Insect Feed Calculator helps you select appropriate feeders and determine correct feeding quantities based on your dragon’s age and weight. Remember that insects should complement a diet rich in vegetables and greens, especially for adult dragons.

Always consult a reptile veterinarian for specific dietary needs. Individual dragons may have unique requirements based on health history and environmental factors. Never feed wild-caught insects, and always dust low-calcium feeders with calcium powder.